Filtering or screening apparatus



AprfI 6, 1954 C. J. SWAN 2,674,376

FILTERING OR SCREENING APPARATUS Filed Nov. l5,v 1950 2 IN V EN TOR.

CHARLES J. SWAN.

BY e; Z

(4'7" TORZWE'YS- Patented Apr. 6, 1954 2,674,376 FILTERING R SCREENING APARATUS Charles J. Swan, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The Standard Oil Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 13, 1950, Serial No. 195,160

4 Claims. ((31. 210--l55) When it is desired to separate solid particles from a downwardly flowing liquid mass in a container, as for instance in a petroleum refining evaporator tower which receives more or less rein forming one complete exit chamber for the liquid. The course of the liquid fiow is downwardly, the feed to the tower or container being above the filter. Inasmuch as the filter is relaturn stream from a coking zone, it has been custively large, it is advisable to have the sections tomary to rely on a screen filter at the bottom disassemblable, and the horizontal section may outlet. Such an arrangement blocks up after be removably secured to the top of the vertical a short time and it is necessary to then shut section by suitable means such as lugs I on the down, and workers must enter and clean the horizontal section which may be held by bolts 8 blocked filtered surface. The frequent inter- 10 to the lugs 9 on the vertical section, and over the ruptions of operation add disproportionately to top of the horizontal section is a band I!) having costs, in addition to the excess labor. I have its ends secured by bolts II to lugs 12 on the vernow found that this quick blocking trouble may tical section. For additional support and stabe obviated by an arrangement according to the bility, supports I l may extend between the floor present invention. Operating and maintenance 15 and the horizontal section 4 at each end and be costs may thus be importantly lowered. Other bolted to lugs E5 on the horizontal section. Conobjects and advantages will appear from the fol veniently, one or two manholes 2| in the side lowing description. wall of the container adjacent, affords access To the accomplishment of the foregoing and whereby the screen sections may be introduced related ends, the invention then, comprises the and be set up in assembly, and when occasion refeatures hereinafter fully described and particuquires may be disassembled and removed. It will larly pointed out in the claims, the following be understood that the manholes are of size sufiidescription and the annexed drawing setting cient for entry of workers and to permit removal forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of accumulated settlings from the bottom. The of the invention, these being indicative, however, manhole c ver or head 22 may b held in p siof but a few of the various ways in which the tion by bolts, as well known. principle of the invention may be employed. In operation, the liquid mass is fed into the In said annexed drawing: container above, cleaned liquid, for instance Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a filter emheavy petroleum being drawn off through the bodying the invention, the container being bottom outlet 5. And by reason of the shape shown in section; and

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the filter or screen. The construction in the present invention provides greater increased surface area for a submerged filter, and so placed as to occasion eddy currents to favor sweeping and cleaning instead of allowing settling on the surface. The solid particles can then settle below. In general, the filter is of T-shape with a vertical stem section set over the container outlet, and a horizontal section on top of the vertical section, each portion being of cross-section obviating flat partiole-collecting areas; in other words being of rounded cross-section. Thus in a tower container 2 a T-shaped filter or screen involves a vertical cylindrical section 3 of suitable strong Wire mesh or less desirably in some cases perforated sheet metal, and this is topped by horizontal cylindrical section 4 with ends also of screen. The vertical section is secured to the bottom of the tower or container by suitable means, over the outlet 5, such as by brackets 6 secured to the floor and to the screen. The top of the vertical section 3 is shaped to fit with the horizontal cylindrical section 4, the space withand arrangement of the filter the liquid currents which are occasioned sweep the sides, hindering sticking of solid particles, and the particles then settle at the bottom. When the settlings have accumulated to a height which requires cleaning out of the accumulation, the necessity for this being indicated by the change in pressure gauge reading on the pump lines, the intake may be shut off, and with draining down below the manhole the heads may be removed, and workers can enter and clean out the settlings accumulation.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a closed container, 2. manhole in the side, and screening means of overall greater size than the manhole and insertible in sections to be put together inside and presenting a screening surface extended transverse to the downward current flow, including a hollow vertical screen section and a hollow horizontal screen section removably secured to the top thereof in communication with it, said vertical section having an outlet below through the bottom of the container.

2. In apparatus of th character described, a liquid container, a closable manhole in the side thereof, an outlet at the bottom of the container, and screening means of overall greater size than the manhole and insertible in sections to be put together inside and presenting a screening surface for said outlet extended transverse to the downward current flow, including a filter having a hollow cylindrical vertical section secured to the bottom of the container and having its outlet over said container bottom outlet, a hollow cylindrical horizontal section having screen ends and fitting the top of said vertical section in communication therewith, and means for removably securing the horizontal section to the vertical section.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a petroleum-evaporator tower having a closable manhole in the side and havin a bottom outlet, and screenin means of overall greater size than the manhole and insertible in sections to be put together inside and presenting a screening surface for said outlet extended transverse to the downward currentflow, including a hollow vertical screen section secured to the tower floor with;

outlet over said bottom outlet, and a hollow horizontal screen section having screen ends and secured to the top of the vertical section in communication therewith, lugs on the respective sections for bolts fastening and a clamp-band across the top of said horizontal section and having its ends bolted to lugs on the vertical section.

4. In apparatus of the character described, a

the sections together,

liquid container, a closabl manhole in the side thereof, an outlet at the bottom of the container, and screening means of overall greater size than the manhole and insertible in sections to be put together inside and presenting a screening surface for said outlet extended transverse to the downward current flow, including a hollow cylindrical vertical screensection with one end secured to th bottom of the container with outlet over the said container bottom outlet, a hollow cylindrical horizontal screen section having screen ends and fitting the top of said vertical section in communication therewith, lugs on the respective sections for bolts fastening the sections together, a clamp-band across the top of said horizontal section and having its ends bolted to lugs on the vertical section, and supports extending from the floor of the container to the respectiv end portions of the horizontal section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 149,367 Yundt Apr. 17, 1874 426,945 Maignen Apr. 29, 1890 567,249 Merrill Sept. 8, 1896 638,787 Wolf Dec. 12, 1899 709,616 Thorne Sept. 23, 1902 709,670 Foster Sept. 23, 1902 717,912 Peck Jan. 6, 1903 749,880 Pullman Jan. 19, 1904 1,595,134 Zimmerman Aug. 10, 1926 1,992,472 Craig Feb. 26, 1935 1,998,122 Dunham Apr, 16, 1935 2,073,847 Miller Mar. 16, 1937 2,122,119 Thibert June 28, 1938 2,378,737 Simkovits June 19, 1945 

